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Warriors' Jackson says pressure is on Clippers

By Diamond Leung dleung@bayareanewsgroup.com

Posted:
05/02/2014 07:59:18 PM PDT

Updated:
05/02/2014 10:09:07 PM PDT

OAKLAND -- To Warriors coach Mark Jackson, the pressure is on the Los Angeles Clippers.

Jackson said the pressure had been on the favorites in the series to close it out at Oracle Arena on Thursday, and with the Warriors not letting that happen, it's the Clippers who face the first-round upset possibility in the deciding Game 7 on Saturday at Staples Center.

"It's just two great teams going at it," Jackson said Friday. "Two very good basketball teams going at it. The pressure's on them. They earned the right to have home court, and they've got some stars -- some in uniform and one in a suit and tie. The pressure's on them."

Jackson has continued to praise counterpart Doc Rivers and the Clippers, even as the No. 6-seeded Warriors have taken them to the brink in a series that for a time was played under the cloud of the Donald Sterling controversy.

Stephen Curry helped even up the series 3-3 after he got back on track with a 24-point, nine-assist performance that came while he committed only two of the Warriors' eight turnovers.

Jackson said he joked with Curry before the Warriors' 100-99 win that word on the street was that he was going to be aggressive in this game. Curry laughed.

"He didn't lie," Jackson said. "I was happy to see him taking care of the basketball first and being aggressive."

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The Warriors found a way through Draymond Green's defense to contain MVP candidate Blake Griffin but could continue to have trouble handling DeAndre Jordan if they're down another big man.

Center Jermaine O'Neal is questionable after an MRI exam revealed a bone bruise in his right kneecap stemming from a second-quarter collision with Glen Davis. The team is already without starting center Andrew Bogut, and according to Jackson, injured second-year big man Festus Ezeli's status for Game 7 is unknown.

"I wouldn't put nothing past him," Jackson said of O'Neal. "The guy is a gamer. He wants to go out on his terms, and I'm sure if he can give us something, that'll be his mindset."

In what has been a physical series as expected, Clippers point guard Chris Paul was banged up with multiple injuries and limped around during the Game 6 loss at Oracle Arena, but he is expected to play in Game 7.

Said Jackson: "He's a tremendous basketball player with a tremendous will and a great competitor. He's Chris Paul.

"We treat him like he's Chris Paul, and it doesn't change. With all due respect, the guy's a special talent. I think you get into trouble when you treat people differently according to whether they're hurt or 100 percent. The great ones find a way."

O'Neal is one of the Warriors with experience playing in a Game 7, and Andre Iguodala is another.

"It can be an emotional roller coaster, the highs and lows," Iguodala said. "It's about having a good balance, weathering the storm because it's going to be a game of runs."